A 2020 feature story dubbed biologist Dr. Chris Nicolai of Delta Waterfowl , “The Indiana Jones of Waterfowling.” One of our favorite stories to ever run in WILDFOWL Magazine tells of a dedicated waterfowl warrior who has deployed airplanes, helicopters, and net-guns to study waterfowl and lived right among nesting goose colonies. Don’t miss his tales of snoring pintails, the state of bird banding, avian flu, decoy carving, and the Duck Factory’s current status heading into the breeding season. ...
Jun 08, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 48
Join Skip, Big Jim, and Ratch as WILDFOWL doubles down on podcasts, announcing a new one for retriever owners hosted by Associate Editor Nathan “Ratch” Ratchford. This new show was created to help you with things like vetting breeders, incorporating steadiness in daily life, cutting edge training (“dog coaching”), and choosing the right breed for you. Nate will host expert guests and hopes to build a community around the spirit of training your dog yourself while supporting his new D.I.Y Duck Do...
May 25, 2023•53 min•Ep. 47
Host Skip Knowles is on-scene in Alberta with MOJO Outdoors and Hidden Prairie Outfitters . It’s the thrilling end of the snow goose migration, where millions of geese fuel up on grain and stage before “leaping the trees” on the long flight to the tundra where they breed. Learn why the geese drop their guard and adult birds become so much more cooperative to decoy, and just why this may be the ultimate destination for superior snow goose hunting. The gang also tries out some new snow goose motio...
May 18, 2023•45 min•Ep. 46
“TAKE ‘EM!” What, you didn’t hear that? Skip and Big Jim tackle hearing loss with the caped crusader who is out to change the culture of waterfowling. Bill Dickinson of TETRA Hearing tells the story and the passion behind that company’s superb hearing enhancement products, built by duck hunters for all outdoors folks, even those running tractors and loud machinery in the off-season to manage their lands. Together, we can fix this and HEAR THE HUNT! Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear...
May 11, 2023•56 min•Ep. 45
Rockstar young gun photographer and duck nut Brandon Fien shot his first four WILDFOWL cover shots as a teenager, including the banded wood duck he killed in California on the 2023 Big Dog Issue now available on newsstands. Hear that story and join him and Editor Skip along with big Jim McConville to learn how Brandon started and how to improve your photos, as well as the greatest mistake upstart photographers make. Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe, leave us ...
Mar 09, 2023•25 min•Ep. 44
Wildfowl’s own larger-than-life Jim “Big Jim” McConville gets a turn to tell his story about the long road to waterfowling from a rich Ohio upbringing. A much-loved character in the industry, Big Jim is descended from market gunners, had to balance hunting with an elite football career, has built his own lethal giant goose decoys, and as our national sales manager, has some wild yarns about heading out over a mile on Great Lakes ice to kill ducks with his dad. He also provides some advice for be...
Dec 14, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 43
SHOTGUNS! It’s a passionate subject for all of us! Join us as we connect with the guys at Retay to talk about one of our absolute favorite things as duck and goose hunters. Duck season is ripping along, the migration alerts are beeping, and the rest of a great season is just ahead. We’ll learn why Retay is worth a look with their better-built barrels and better shooting shotguns. Our talk also turns to the Eastern Shore for hand-carved decoys, waterfowl festivals, and more! Thanks for listening!...
Nov 23, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 42
Skip and Big Jim visit with Matt Cagle of Rig'Em Right . Matt is a surfer and hunter with a saltwater soul and one of the coolest guys we’ve ever met in this industry. He's a real duck man who used bread bags and other “terrible gear” as a kid to find inspiration to start his company that now builds some of the toughest gun cases, blind bags and backpacks, decoy rigging, hunting blinds, and other essential gear for the diehard hunter. Find out how Duck Commander played a role in helping him get ...
Nov 11, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 41
In the Retriever Gear installment of our 2022 Giant Gear Issue Series, we linked up with Rehan Nana from Garmin . Rehan shares about his decision to send his dog off to an elite pro dog trainer, outlines how to pick one (both a dog and a trainer), and talks about his move from pointing dogs to Labradors. We also dive into dog training technology and catch a migration report, including Skip’s special banded harlequin duck in Alaska! Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, be sure to subs...
Oct 28, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 40
Join us on another installment of the 2022 Giant Gear Issue series. On this episode we delve into waterfowl hunting camo and clothing trends with our friends from Browning and their pro staffer country music singer Meghan Patrick , a rising star in Nashville, who is a great ambassador for this sport we all love. We joined Meghan on a wild goose chase in North Dakota last year and it was an unforgettable outing testing new clothing and camo patterns (detailed in big story in our October issue of ...
Oct 21, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 39
Join Wildfowl Podcast hosts Skip, Ratch, and Big Jim to find out how lifelong timber hunter Jeff Jones and friends made a big splash with Chene Gear . We'll hear about Jeff's obsession for duck hunting, learn some secret timber tactics, and understand why Chene's clothing, boots, and waders might just be some of the absolute best in the business. Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe, leave us a rate and review, share with your friends, follow us @wildfowlmagazine...
Oct 07, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 38
Skip and Big Jim visit with long time legend and one of the nicest guys in the business, George Lynch of Legendary Gear . George tells of how he got started making duck and goose calls and addresses many of the most common mistakes made by beginners. We also share killer tactics for making decoys work and swap fun stories of chasing big Iowa whitetails. Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe, leave us a rate and review, share with your friends, follow us @wildfowlm...
Sep 16, 2022•1 hr 14 min
In this fourth installment of the gear issue podcast Skipper and Big Jim visit with one of the original mud motor mad men, Coco Warren of Go-Devil . Coco hails from Baton Rouge, and is an American Cajun country all-original and marvelous storyteller who singlehandedly launched a niche industry almost 40 years ago. Learn about some of the tools every boat captain must always have on hand and what it’s like to catch 2,400 largemouth bass! Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, be sure to...
Sep 09, 2022•1 hr 20 min
In this third installment of our 2022 Giant Gear Issue Series, Skip, Nate, and Jim talk waterfowl hunting shotguns with a few of our favorite people in the industry, Rafe Nielsen and Shaundi Campbell of Browning . Find out why the 16-gauge A5 is here to stay, and enjoy a lively discussion on the efficacy of the 3/5” shell and whether calling waterfowl is really a good idea. Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe, leave us a rate and review, share with your friends,...
Sep 02, 2022•1 hr 27 min
Join Skipper and Ratch as they jump into the studio with Terry Denmon of MOJO Outdoors and Al Falkenstein of Big Al's Decoys . The gang talks about the surge in silhouette decoy use and the undeniable magic of motion decoys as we get ready for teal and early goose season, now only a few short weeks away. Tune in to hear what hot new products are coming from the innovation labs of MOJO and Big Al's, and don't miss the 2022 Giant Gear Issue of Wildfowl for the complete list of our favorite duck an...
Aug 26, 2022•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 34
In this episode, Skip, Ratch, and Big Jim launch the 2022 Giant Gear Issue Series with a bang and are joined by Jason Lonsberry and Jared Lewis of Apex Ammunition to chat about chokes and loads for waterfowl hunting. Although Apex Ammunition has only been around a few years, the company has set the shotgun world on fire by changing the way we shoot and hunt. Known for producing superior, super-lethal loads of Tungsten-Super-Shot (TSS) and other deadly hunting loads, Apex continues to hit peak pe...
Aug 19, 2022•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 33
Just as WILDFOWL’S Big September Goose Issue hits newsstands, we kick it off with hosts Skip, Nathan, and Big Jim connecting with Rob Hansen of Leg Iron Outfitters in Arkansas to talk all things snow goose hunting, from mouth calling and banded birds to using dog whistles to call the shot. “It’s a three-second high that can’t be duplicated by anything you can do in your life,” Rob says of the moment the shot is called. The guys look back on last snow goose season, and changes they’re seeing in b...
Jul 20, 2022•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 32
In this episode, Skip, Nathan, and Big Jim visit with Cody Stokes of Dive Bomb Industries to chat about the trend-setting company's origins, their current spread of waterfowl products, and where they're going in the future. From game-changing decoys to gotta-have-it gear to functional and fashionable apparel, they really do have it all for the modern-day waterfowler. Check out www.divebombindustries.com to learn more. Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe, leave u...
May 27, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 31
In this episode Skip & Big Jim sit down with Garret Walker (owner of Quack Rack) and Ted Wells (outdoor photographer and social media guru). We learn how Garret went against the grain to build and grow Quack Rack into an iconic industry brand. We'll also hear about how this dynamic duo likes to travel to 'fowl, and had a legendary run-in with Coors Light. Crack a cold one and settle in for the show! Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe, leave us a rate and re...
May 13, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 30
In this episode, we chat with industry legend Alex Langbell. Alex is an experienced waterfowler and content producer. In his time, he's hunted up and down the flyways, produced television shows, and has created an innovative, problem-solving lineup of hunting dog products at his company GunDog Outdoors . Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe, leave us a rate and review, share with your friends, follow us @wildfowlmagazine and visit wildfowlmag.com to learn more....
Apr 29, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 29
In this show, hosts Skip and Nathan are joined by Wildfowl's Big Jim McConville to talk with elite Louisiana duck outfitter Josh Galt of Scale Damage . We talk about proposed splash limits, the state of duck hunting, Louisiana outdoors culture, hurricane impacts, duck identification and the finer ethics of waterfowl hunting. Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe, leave us a rate and review, share with your friends, follow us @wildfowlmagazine and visit wildfowlmag...
Apr 15, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 28
In this episode, hosts Skip & Nathan chat it up with Ed Wall of WALL MEDIA. Ed is an extremely talented photographer, videographer, and producer, most known for his Mossy Oak series "Lost Brake" and "Crash Landing" . Ed has a feature story in the Big Dog Spring 2022 Issue of Wildfowl Magazine entitled, "Fiercely Driven" chronicling his journey into the hunt test circuit with his Labrador retriever "Diche". Don't miss this episode, as the guys talk about photography, duck hunting, and dog tra...
Apr 01, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 27
On this episode, Skip and Nathan check in with Wildfowl contributor and professional outdoor writer, Scott Haugen , to hear about his recent hunting trips to Alaska and why his versatile pudelpointers just may be some of the most underrated duck dogs in the game. Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe, leave us a rate and review, share with your friends, follow us @wildfowlmagazine and visit wildfowlmag.com to learn more....
Nov 22, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 26
Chad and Skip recap the previous 10 episodes of the 2021 Wildfowl Giant Gear Issue Podcast Series. We cover decoys, blinds, goose calls, duck calls, boats and motors, retriever gear, shotguns, chokes and loads, waders and clothing and waterfowl hunting accessories. Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe, leave us a rate and review, share with your friends, follow us @wildfowlmagazine and visit wildfowlmag.com to learn more....
Nov 08, 2021•42 min•Ep. 25
Although the gear we are about to talk about is not necessities but they certainly make waterfowl hunting more pleasurable and often more productive. We are talk about the Waterfowl Hunting Accessories section of the Wildfowl magazine Annual Giant Gear Issue. We have Josh Tichenor of Mallard View Outdoors to talk about all the fun duck hunting gear items including his Ice Eater device used to keep hunts going into the colder temperatures. Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, be sure ...
Nov 04, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 24
Few pieces of gear are more critical for a waterfowl hunter than waders and the warm clothes need to pull of a successful hunt. We have Drew Keith, the CEO of Honey Brake Lodge , master duck caller and someone you'd want to share the duck blind with on the podcast. We also have Josh Beckham, a Banded Prostaff member, skilled waterfowl hunter and another great person to share the duck bind with to share their thoughts on waterfowl hunting clothing, waders and the different camouflage used to conc...
Nov 01, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 23
An investment in a custom choke and quality of loads can help fill your tote on a more regular basis. We have Dan Compton, Product Line Manager for Federal Premium and Rob Roberts , maker of custom chokes for waterfowl shotguns. Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe, leave us a rate and review, share with your friends, follow us @wildfowlmagazine and visit wildfowlmag.com to learn more....
Oct 28, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 22
All shotguns are not created equal. They are engineered for different purposes and in this podcast we discuss what goes into the making of a great waterfowl hunting shotgun. These shotguns need to withstand the harshest environments and they need to operate smooth and be accurate. Our guests include George Thompson, Director of Product Management for Benelli and Chad Mendes, owner of a Finz and Featherz Guide Service and retired MMA fighter. Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, be su...
Oct 25, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 21
There are a lots of things that make waterfowl hunting so special, but none rank quite as high as the dogs. They deserve good gear. From crates to vests to training bumpers and you name-it, not only do quality retriever accessories help our hunts run more smoothly, they help our dogs become better hunters. We have pro duck dog trainer Pete Fischer to discuss the accessories for your hunting partner. Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe, leave us a rate and review...
Oct 21, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 20
A solid boat fitted with a good motor instantly makes any waterfowl endeavor cooler. We have Kyle Broussard co-founder and mechanical engineer of Gator-Tail to discuss duck boats and motors. Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe, leave us a rate and review, share with your friends, follow us @wildfowlmagazine and visit wildfowlmag.com to learn more....
Oct 18, 2021•57 min•Ep. 19
